This book is about a journalist who volunteers to become the first woman to be impregnated with an ovum to ovum baby with her female partner as the other biological parent. I found this book thought provoking, interesting and politically and ethically engaging, as well as a very personal read. I thought this demonstrating how far the world has come. Would recommend.

An interesting concept and initially I liked the exploration of the media’s responsibility for creating what we think of as news. I liked how the different support and opposition that the world would have for a medical advancement to would help gay couples have children were realistically presented. My low rating is because i felt the writing style was a little simplistic.

This is an utterly stunning novel which follows the difficulties surrounding existence, and what is means to live a life beyond the scope of 'normality'.
Ovum-to-Ovum technology provided Jules and Rosie the opportunity to create one of the first babies conceived without a sperm donor, meaning that this baby would be made of just their genetics, and could only be a girl. Because of this, they were met with the viciousness of homophobic violence and fear-mongering hate speech. The heavy involvement of politics, journalism and religion in this novel exposes the harmful capabilities of misinformation and prejudice, whereby the lives of everybody involved in this experiment were continuously put at fatal risk.
The notion that the existence of men would be put into jeopardy with this new technology exemplifies that this 'possibility' is only of major discussion and revolt when it solely involves men. This novel reiterates society's control over the body of the woman, and its allegiance to produce a world 'suitable' for men. Chadwick discusses these incredibly sensitive and provocative topics effortlessly through an unforced narrative, one of which does not shadow the overarching theme of motherhood itself.
The narrative itself is not complex, as we follow through this story with ease, but this is not an issue. The events which occur are blatant and do not need to be dressed in scientific jargon. The events of this novel are happening to two everyday women, surrounded by a society who by the majority, are not scientists. Such is the case that we can truly appreciate the foundation of this narrative, and appreciate the brilliant characterisation of the main characters, for all of their flaws and strengths.
I wholeheartedly recommend this novel for anybody with an interest in the discussions at hand, as you will undoubtedly be engaged from start to finish.

I found XX an absolutely fascinating book.
Thoughtfully written, the story encompasses morals, emotions, feelings - showing that there are no easy answers in planning babies in this way.
The tale was told through Jules, a fantastic, believable character, with weaknesses and flaws, just like the rest of us. Her partner Rosie proved to be another interesting person too. I cared about what happened to them, and couldn’t put the book down!

Such an unusual storyline. Not sure what I think about the concept but I did get caught up with the characters and their problems.

A really interesting premise....it was an intriguing read but I think I kind of expected more drama and led me to be a bit disappointed. A decent book though thank you

I really enjoyed this book. Ms Chadwick has pulled off the very difficult combination of an issue based book which is character driven and not too preachy, but makes salient points clearly. Bravo!

Jules & Rose have been in a relationship for a while. Rose wants a baby but Jules is not so sure having never known her own mother but they love each other & Jules want to make her happy. When Jules reads about the revolutionary new ovum-to-ovum method, which allows two women to have a baby that is biologically part of both of them it seems the perfect answer & they manage to get on the trial.

There are many who are horrified by this new discovery- men could become superfluous! It isn't natural or right & that is a bandwagon a local politician happily jumps on.

With excessive press interest, political pressure & all the emotions involved in becoming parents Rose & Jules are soon struggling to remember why they started this- can their relationship survive?

This was a really thought provoking read. Although it is science fiction at the moment, it might not be for long. It highlights how politicians will latch onto anything to get votes & the tenacity of the media to get a story. I really liked the main characters although there were times I wanted to shake Jules!

I thoroughly recommend this book. Thanks to Netgalley & the publisher for letting me read & review this terrific book.

Such a fascinating premise...it seems so straightforward to create a much-wanted baby with your partner, but even when science offers the breakthrough to do this, the repercussions go way beyond the lab, reaching throughout families, friendships and forcing even the most solid relationships to be reexamined. A book that really makes you think - I thoroughly enjoyed it

Such an interesting and thought provoking book and a layered, sensitively told story. The story weaves a topical issue, the effects it has in the public and private sphere, and the range of emotions felt by the people just struggling to live, in a really compelling way. Will be recommending this to loads of people and hope to read a lot more from this author!

This book might as well be titled 'this is why lesbians can't have nice things.'
My feelings on this novel are a little all over the place. Whilst it's pushing forward a speculative future where IVF involving just two eggs can create a human child, it struggles to encapsulate an accurate setting to this radical new idea. If that idea can be considered radical at all. At points, it made me really angry. Everything bad that could happen to Rosie and Jules, the main characters, does. The press torment them, their co-workers and friends all act awfully to them, there are politicians making advances on publicly denouncing them.

And literally nobody is on their side.

I refuse to believe in a world where Twitter exists that nobody would be campaigning or at least supporting these two women. I also think that this issue isn't even significant enough to rile up the moderates. Space is given to far-right politicians and all that does is make these women's lives even worse. I'm tired of stories about LGBTQIA+ couples always being traumatic and terrible and with everything going wrong, it feels played out and unfair.

And then it just ends.

With so many loose ends left open, we get a ridiculously unsatisfying ending. Suddenly, things are alright, and nothing has had any consequence because everything that happened within the novel appears temporary. It felt like Chadwick didn't know how to finish the novel and so just decided to duck out four years and make everything alright again, without giving any pay-off to the other things happening throughout the book.

3 stars is generous, I think. I was just so disappointed by this book, and my anger will remain until someone can write speculative fiction that doesn't throw LGBTQIA+ couples under the bus for the sake of drama or plot devices.

Imagine a future where women, helped by groundbreaking scientific experiments, can have children without the input of a man. No boyfriend, no husband, no sperm, no problem. A new technique gives hope to women - mainly lesbians - all over the world, but as the trial gets underway in England, outrage ensues and opposition is rife to this new method of IVF where men are not needed - and men are not created. That's right, only female babies will be born from ovum to ovum fertilisation. Now imagine the backlash. 

XX is a very modern, forward thinking novel, although to some it will raise some scary questions.

Told from the view point of Jules, who tells her long term girlfriend Rosie that she is finally ready to have children, they then embark on a trial to become one of the first couples to undergo this new fertilisation technique. It means they will only have female children - and they're okay with that - but the media frenzy that follows unsteadies their quiet life and makes them question their choice.

What I loved about these characters is that they're so well rounded - everybody is flawed in some way, whether they're too self centred, or bad at communication, or don't listen to others, they're very human. I also appreciated the difference in viewpoints in terms of pregnancy, with Rosie being very pro-baby for so long and Jules needing a bit more time - and still having her doubts. I really enjoyed having two different sides of the coin on show here.

It felt like that media backlash was so realistic too - the arguments are exactly what I'd expect to hear if this did happen in our world today. I loved the political nature of the storyline and the inclusion of so much behind the scenes of the media frenzy. 

Such a thought provoking and emotional story, there was just the right amount of character feelings and input to the story mixed with a look at the wider world, from UK law to developments globally. I really loved the whole story, but reading some of the opposing arguments made me genuinely angry but also... anxious. Like reading the news in real life and feeling exasperated and exhausted to keep fighting against the hurtful and backwards stuff people in high places say. I always count it as a sign of really good writing if I don't just feel sad, or happy, or angry, but in the moment emotions like anxiety and fear for the future while reading. 

I highly recommend this for everyone. Not just because it's a good read, but to consider the implications of a procedure like this if it ever were to move from science fiction to real life. Where would you stand?

This was a really easy book to motor through that carries the reader on the tide of events . It covers a potential breakthrough in embryology which allows ovum to ovum fertilisation. I think the author gets so much right - the thoughts and feelings of the participants in this trial and the journalistic need to know everything at any cost. The political posturings are excellently portrayed. There is depth in the detail and the characterisation is such that at times i loved and hated every character in equal measure - which i think mirrors real life so well.

As a first book this shows great promise. I think it has wide appeal. I am grateful to net galley for the ARC and i look forward to more from this author.

XX wasn’t quite what I was expecting, but I enjoyed it regardless. The publisher describes it as “a stunning debut novel imagining a world where women can have children without men”, which made me expect a much more dystopian novel than this is - it is, in fact, the story of a very normal couple who take advantage of a clinical trial to have a baby without resorting to a sperm donor and although the technique of “ovum-to-ovum” similar to IVF used is of course imaginary, the world this takes place in is otherwise exactly our own.

The novel explores themes of motherhood and the ethics of privacy, scientific intervention in the creation of a child, lying, and politics. Its main strength is its concept and in its depiction of the relationships of Jules, the narrator, and Rosie, her partner who becomes pregnant, to each other and to the people around them. However, it suffers from underdeveloping some of its ideas and from too many twists too late in the book that lack a satisfactory exploration of consequences.

Angela Chadwick has a precise and readable style and an inventive, lively, mind which has created a facinating concept, but I craved more depth and exploration of its themes.

I was kindly given an advance copy of this via @netgalley from @littlebrown but this has not affected my views or this review.

Thank you to Netgalley for a free copy in exchange for an honest review.

This book follows one of the first couples to have a new type of IVF where two eggs are used but no father, which always results in a baby girl - because of two mothers each providing an X, hence the XX of the title.
Rather than it being a sci-fi book though it is more about relationships and a look at moral panics and the media. The author portrays the abuse and intrusion that ordinary people can get online and in the media with a fair bit of fake news thrown in very well.
The story is also good with a few unexpected twists along the way. Without giving too much away it also makes you think about the issues involved

This book had a really interesting premise and was something I could believe could 'really happen'. I liked the way the story was told from both points of view - the for and against XX conception.

I did feel that the main character, the narrator, got quite boring after a while - she just seemed so miserable all the time, about everything, and Rosie seemed like a happy, fun girl which made me wonder why she would have ever chosen to be with such a scrooge!

Overall it was a thought provoking book and I did enjoy it although I would have liked a bit more emotion from the main character and a little less apparent family drama.

Jules and Rosie are desperate to have a child that is genetically related to them both. Using new reproductive technology they are recruited into a programme that creates a child from two eggs rather than an egg and a sperm. As one of the first couples to be involved, there is huge media interest, and not all of the attention is positive. As a couple, they must navigate the affect their treatment has on their own relationship, and the relationships they have with family and friends.

Chadwick has written a novel that is both believable and emotive. She has covered a number of difficult topics, and it was easy to believe in the world she created in which two women could create a baby without a man. The ethical issues were explained and conveyed successfully, and I liked seeing both sides of each argument. I enjoyed reading about Jules and Rosie's relationship, and was relieved that their sexuality was not portrayed an 'issue' but just part of who they were. The central characters were believable and there were some great supporting characters too.

Thank you to the publishers and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book.

As soon as I discovered 'XX' I knew it was my type of book. Provocative, controversial and thought-provoking, this is a timely and topical tale that addresses many of the issues that are playing out at the moment, such as the me too movement where women are no longer afraid to call out men's behaviour. The central concept of the story is that due to recent medical advancements two women are now able to produce a female baby without the need for a male through ovum-to-ovum technology. A public outcry follows with religious types, advocates for men's rights and many others speaking out against the use of this methodology. Lesbian couple Jules and Rosie are one of the first couples to try this new method of fertilisation, but when their details are leaked to the media, they come under intense scrutiny Suddenly everywhere they go they are followed by photographers and media personalities who are looking for a story and a payday.

This is a book of substance which may seem far-fetched to some, but this is not unthinkable. The probability of this happening in the near future is pretty high. Chadwick addresses some extremely important issues here including misogyny, medical ethics, press intrusion vs public interest, sexism, inequality, homophobia, social media, betrayal and class war. All of the issues were dealt with sensitively and with respect, and everything comes across as believable and realistic. Although 'XX' brings up some intriguing moral dilemmas, Chadwick refrains from coming across as preachy or instructing the reader on what to think, and readers are given the opportunity to think about where they stand on the matters she explores. The story held my attention for the duration, and if I'm honest I am still thinking about it weeks after finishing it! An unforgettable read! I hope this receives the critical acclaim it deserves - it's truly difficult to believe that this is her debut novel!

Many thanks to Dialogue Books for an ARC. I was not required to post a review, and all thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.

Such a thought provoking, insightful book! This novel looks at the possibility of two women having a baby using a groundbreaking medical discovery - two ovums, no sperm. Of course there's an outcry. Religious-types, mens rights activists and bigots in general make their opinions publicly known. Jules and Rosie, the two main characters, try to stay out of the limelight. Jules is a reporter at a local Portsmouth newspaper, so knows how the system works, but when the story is leaked to the newspapers, along with their identities, she is sure that her policy of 'no comment' will work. The media doesn't get bored though, and her workplace aren't in any way supportive. They want the story as much as anyone else.
This could have been a terrible book, but it really wasn't. The subject matter was sensitively dealt with, the relationship between Jules and Rosie wasn't sensationalised, reactions, both good and bad, were realistic. This book is coming out during interesting times globally, where women are calling out bad male behaviour. I can see this being a route that a lot of women would take given the opportunity, whether they were gay or straight - and male fertility is taking a nose dive at the moment, too! So perhaps this would be a real solution (if some clever scientist could get it to work!).
By the way, I lived and taught in a high school in Petersfield on the edge of Leigh Park in the mid to late 1990's, and I think she has the essence of the place just right. It's not an easy place to live and grow up in.

This was an interesting book, full of complexity and a rich drawing on real life to create such a fascinating moral dilemma. A good read that I would recommend, but not quite one for our shop. Very worth a go, and should sell beautifully given the right hand sell technique.